Outdoor Lighting Control: A Win-Win Situation!

The opportunity exists to reclaim vast amounts of energy currently wasted inadvertently into the night sky by poorly designed outdoor lighting fixtures and installations.

• COSTS: $10's of billions in electricity costs are currently wasted upward at night in the United States annually. These numbers do not include the costs of harvesting fossil fuels to generate electricity.

• SOLUTIONS: Reclaim waste using fixtures and installations with lower wattage light sources, and fixtures designed to distribute light to where it is wanted.

• GOOD LIGHTING IS AVAILABLE NOW: The lighting industry currently designs and manufactures such fixtures, recognizing the opportunity for savings.

• SECURITY: There is no conclusive evidence demonstrating a relationship between lighting and crime.

• HEALTH: New studies point to dramatic health consequences from the disruption of human "circadian rhythm" among populations living in or near cities. Loss of the day/night cycle reduces the efficacy of the immune system.

• LOSS OF NIGHTTIME SKY: The heritage of dark night skies is rapidly being lost. Generations are growing up having never seen the Milky Way. Sky glow resulting from artificial lighting dramatically hinders the science of astronomy.

• REGULATION: Thousands of communities world-wide have adopted outdoor lighting ordinances including the "New Mexico Night Sky Preservation Act" signed into law by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in 1999.

• NATIONAL ENERGY SELF-SUFICIENCY: Using good lighting for new installations, and replacing old, poorly designed fixtures with more efficient ones can be a big part of a national "green" initiative.

• GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZING: Hundreds of groups have formed in recent years dedicated to promoting quality, cost-efficient outdoor lighting. Such organizations represent a major opportunity for energy savings nationwide. An excellent resource is the International Dark-sky Association.